


perfectly normal

by eg1701



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Gen, How Do I Tag, Seelie Court, alec is a mundane for a little bit, the seelie queen is the worst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-11
Updated: 2017-11-11
Packaged: 2019-01-31 17:59:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12687351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eg1701/pseuds/eg1701
Summary: Alec Lightwood considered himself to be a perfectly average human being expect for the fact that he wasn't.





	perfectly normal

**Author's Note:**

> i started rewatching shadowhunters and ta da

Alexander Lightwood considered himself perfectly normal. He wasn’t overly smart, or overly social. He didn’t date, and he didn’t have very many friends, but he got along pretty well with everyone he met. His professors said he had promise, and that he had the makings of a brilliant leader one day.  


Alec considered himself to be normal, but he knew deep down he wasn’t. Normal people didn’t have strange dreams filled with vampires and angels and werewolves that seemed far too real to be just a dream. Normal people didn’t see people with strange black markings that were there was moment, and gone the next.  


Alexander Lightwood considered himself perfectly normal, because he knew that he wasn’t. He didn’t think he was crazy or anything. He just had an overactive imagination, which was odd, since he didn't particularly care for fairy tales or legends. When he spoke about it once to an acquaintance over lunch, he told Alec maybe he should write a book.  


Alec had laughed, and decided that was it. He had never been particularly creative as a child, so maybe this was a delayed reaction sort of thing. Vampires and werewolves didn’t exist. They were stories and halloween costumes. Nothing more.  


It was easy to forget the strangeness. He’d wake up, (this morning he had shaken off a dream about a red haired girl, and very irritating boy in glasses, and himself, in a burnt out apartment building), and jot it down in a notebook. Once it was down, Alec told himself that it was out of his head. It was how he got himself back to the reality of the world.  


The dream had kept him past his alarm, and he realized he’d be late for his shift at the coffee shop where he worked if he didn’t hurry up. He quickly got dressed, and bolted out of his apartment, hoping he had everything he needed.  


It was because of how quickly he was running that he didn’t even see the boy he’d practically run over.  


“God, I’m so sorry,” Alec said, “Are you alright?”  


The boy nodded. Alec froze. He’d seen this person before. In his weird imagination dreams. He was blonde, shorter than Alec, and stockier. But he was missing the strange black markings.  


“I’m fine,” the boy’s voice was strained, like he was trying not to cry, “Are you?”  


“Yeah. Sorry, I’m just going to be late. You sure you’re ok?”  


“Fine. I’m Jace.”  


“Alec. Glad you’re alright. See you around.”Alec wasn’t sure what the introduction was for. People rarely introduced themselves on the street, they just sort of took your apology, told you not to worry, and hurried on their way. Maybe Jace wasn’t from New York.  


Jace nodded, “Hope so.”  


Alec thought it was a little strange how sad Jace sounded. He also thought it was a little weird how very familiar he seemed.  


But, he reminded himself, once the dream is over, or the strange occurrence has happened, you put it out of your mind.  
\----------  
One of the prominent figures in Alec’s dreams was a man, who always looked like he stepped straight off of a runway, and was better at makeup than anyone Alec knew. He had cat eyes, but they weren’t always there, sometimes they were dark brown, and Alec was just a little in love with him. Alec was sure there was a lot that could be said about being in love with a figment of your imagination, but this man in his dreams loved Alec back and he didn’t have the patience to read up on the psychology behind it. No one in his real life loved him like that. He decided it was alright.  


The dreams with mystery man were Alec’s favorite. He had had crushes before, but this man was something else. It was a very strange feeling.  


Alec always looked up to see who had just come in when the little bell on the door rang, and this morning, he nearly dropped everything in his hands when he saw who it was.  


First, there was blondie on the streets, who seemed so sad to see Alec, and here was mystery man, sauntering into this cafe, and pulling off his scarf.  


Alec quickly ducked into the kitchen. One weird meeting was enough for one day. He had worked very hard to convince himself that this was all a dream, and now he was seeing his dreams in his real life. That couldn’t be good right?  


Back in the kitchen, Alec quickly pinched his arm, just to be sure this wasn’t all another one of his dreams. He wanted to be sure that if he went out there, mystery man wasn’t going to smile and call him Alexander like he always did.  


It hurt, and he knew that he was awake. Frankly he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.  


He decided that he wasn’t going to be a coward. He was going to go out there, and pretend that this wasn’t the weirdest day of his life. He must have seen this man somewhere, and remembered him because of how handsome he was. That was the only logical explanation. Why hadn’t he thought of it before?  


The man had ordered a coffee, and appeared to be on the phone. Alec chose to clean a table behind him so he could see without being seen.  


He felt that feeling from earlier. The I-know-you-and-not-just-from-a-dream.  


And then the man turned around, and Alec was too shocked to duck out of the way or, you know, not stare at him.  


“Do we know each other?” Alec asked. He hadn’t meant to, but the words had escaped him before he could stop them.  


“I don’t think so. I’d remember a face a pretty as yours.”  


Alec wasn’t too good at telling if someone was lying, but he was almost certain he was being lied too. He was also blushing.  


“Must be thinking of someone else,” Alec said, dumping the abandoned coffee cups into his bin, “sorry for being creepy.”  


“Not at all Al- not at all.”  


The man looked like he’d said something he regretted.  


And Alec was sure he was about to call him by name.  


“I’m Magnus,” mystery man said, “You?”  


“Alec. I-I should get back to work. Sorry again for staring. It was nice to meet you.”  
\----------  
Alec was very determined to write today off as a weird day, and add it to the notebook of things he wasn’t going to think too hard about. After Magnus, the day had been perfectly average, and after his shift was over, he was beginning to think that the meetings had been pure chance, and that it was unlikely anything else strange was going to happen to him again.  


Then he was attacked by what he could only describe as a monster, was pretty sure someone came to his rescue, and promptly passed out.  


When he came too, he had a terrible headache, and instantly became aware of his new surroundings. If this was a kidnapping (why, he couldn’t imagine. He wasn’t anyone important or rich), they were treating him rather nicely. Maybe it was a case of mistaken identity. That had to be it. The “monster” was the effect of some drug they’d slipped him, believing him to be a prince of some far off country or the son of an ambassador. He’d just explain to whoever it was that he was Alec Lightwood, and that he worked at a coffee shop, and had never done anything remotely important, and that there was no one to pay his ransom. They had made a mistake and he'd be very happy to forget this whole thing.  


He pushed himself off the sofa and into a sitting position, and realized that this was not his shirt. At least he didn’t think it was. It was just his size, and it was even the same type of shirt he owned, which only added to his headache.  


“Oh good, you’re up.”  


“Magnus?”  


He smiled, “The very same. How do you feel?”  


“Fine. I mean, is this your house?”  


It was a strange thing to ask, given the scenario, but this was the setting of his dreams, down to the last detail. He may have seen Magnus on the street before, but he’d never been here before.  


What the hell was going on?  


A girl stuck her head into the room. Alec recognized her as well. In his dreams, she was his sister, and he had always wanted a sister. 

There she was, in the flesh.  


“Have him come in here,” she said, “Jace and Clary are here. He needs to know.”  


“Can someone just point the way to the nearest hospital? I am clearly having some sort of nervous breakdown. Then I’ll be out of your hair.”  


“Look,” the girl- Isabelle, though Alec was very unsure how he knew that- said, “we’re not going to kill you or anything. We just want to talk.”  


“No you look. Thank you for saving me or whatever, but I don't need this. Whatever this is. I have a completely normal life that I would like to get back to.”  


“Just humor me. If after our talk you still want to leave, then you can leave. Ok?”  


Alec nodded even though he didn't trust a single person in this room, not even himself.  
\----------  
Jace and the girl who must be Clary both looked up when he entered. At this point Alec wasn't even surprised that Clary was the redhead. 

He was glad the one with the glasses wasn’t there.  


Alec pulled out the chair on the opposite side of the table, and Magnus poured him some coffee. Alec took a sip and realized it was exactly how he liked it.  


Of course it was.  


“You must have questions,” Clary said, “I know I did.”  


“Yeah. Question one is why am I not dead?”  


“Healed you,” Jace said, “me and Magnus.”  


“Of course,” Alec rolled his eyes, “how foolish of me?”  


“Ok but how is he still so sarcastic?” Clary whispered.  


Alec ignored her, “who the hell are all you people and why have I been dreaming about you?”  


“You've been dreaming about me? How sweet,” Jace said with a smirk.  


“I'm already annoyed with you and I haven't even known you a full day,” Alec replied.  


“He grows on you,” Isabelle interjected, “Can we be serious here? This isn't a joke. We’re called Shadowhunters. Angelic warriors sworn to protect humankind from demons.”  


The look on their faces told Alec they were hoping this would mean something to him. He just crossed his arms.  


“You're a Shadowhunter too. A great one at that,” Isabelle continued, determined, if a little disappointed, “two weeks ago, you and Jace went to the Seelie court-”  
“Seelie?” Alec asked.  


“The Fair Folk,” Magnus explained, “a bit like fairies in mundane tales, if a bit bitchier.”  


“Jace came back and you didn't. You just disappeared into thin air. It took us ages to find you which is strange because you can track Shadowhunters through their runes. Jace couldn't feel you.”  


“I'm sorry?” Alec asked.  


“We’re Parabatai,” Jace whispered, “closer than brothers. We can draw on each other's strength and feel what the other feels. We share a soul you and I. And all I could figure out is that you weren't dead.”  


Alec was amazed at how serious Jace had become.  


“We managed to track you to Brooklyn, but that was it. It wasn't safe for you to be out there unarmed and without any sort of powers because regardless of whatever happened you are still Alec Lightwood, head of the Institute and there are a lot of people who would love to kill you. It wasn't safe.”  


“Wait,” Alec ran a hand over his face and took a deep breath, “let me just confirm this. I'm really an angel warrior who apparently runs something called an institute and saves the world from actual demons and I don't remember all of this because some pissed of fairies took away my memory?”  


“Pretty much,” Jace said, “we're not sure why they're mad but with the Seelies, one day you're on good terms, the next they want you dead. It's a tedious relationship.”  


“Well how do I get them back? Because if this is who I am I want to be that person.”  


“From what we can figure out, you'll have to go to the queen-” Magnus said.  


“Queen?”  


“The Seelie Queen. She's the one with the power. In all honesty this was probably a game for her. She does enjoy her games.”  


Clary scoffed.  


“Magnus?”  


“Hmm?”  


“Do we love each other?”  


“Very much so Alexander.” Magnus smiled, but Alec noticed how sad he still looked.  


“Then how soon can I speak to this queen?”  
\----------  
Of course, you didn't just barge in on the Seelie Queen. When Alec had suggested they just show up, both Jace and Isabelle told him that was the worst thing the could do.  


Magnus had contacted her and she had invited them to her court. The game must have been growing tiresome for her.  


“Don't touch anything,” Jace warned him, “don't accept anything. Don't eat or drink anything. The Seelies can't lie but that doesn't mean you'll always get the truth.”  


“Great. Can't wait to go,” Alec said, “Where is it?”  


Isabelle nodded down at the stream below them.  


“You've got to be kidding me. I'm not going first. I'm still not convinced this isn't some elaborate prank. Though I don't know who would prank me.”  


“I'll go first,” Magnus said and Alec watched in amazement as he disappeared.  


“This is nuts,” he whispered.  


“Yeah. You never have liked the Seelies,” Isabelle said.  


“You guys are serious,” Alec said as Clary left, with a bit of awe in his voice, “about all of this.”  


“Do you believe us now?” Jace asked.  


Alec nodded, “and I can't believe I do.”  


He didn't know for sure what made him take Magnus’s hand when he arrived in the court, but the entire situation made him a little wary and Magnus had said they were in love.  


“It's alright Alexander,” Magnus patted his arm reassuringly, “I won't let anything happen to you.”  


“I know,” Alec said, “I trust you.”  


Magnus smiled, “I do love you very much.”  


“Is it ok if I say I love you too? Even though I sort of have no clue who you are?”  


“You can wait until after you've got your memories back.”  


Alec nodded.  
\----------  
“Your highness,” Jace said, with a slight bow, “Thank you for seeing us.”  


Alec knew, on some level, that even though this queen presented herself as a child, that she could probably kill him without even lifting a finger. That being said, he was very tired of being messed with.  


He let go of Magnus’s hand, and took a step forward, “Look, I really don’t know what the hell is going on, but I don’t like people screwing with me, so if you’ve really got my memories I would like them back.”  


Jace and Magnus both shot him a mildly terrified look.  


“Your highness,” he added hurriedly.  


She didn’t speak for a moment, before she started to clap. It was an all around creepy thing. Alec was sure he’d done the wrong thing.  


She stood up, “I will admit, you were much more entertaining than Jace Herondale would have been.”  


“What?” Jace asked.  


“It had been my intention to put you into a mundane life,” she explained, “But your Parabatai took it upon yourself. I, of course, removed that from your memory.”  


"So you do have my real memory,” Alec said, “Can I have it back?”  


She sighed, “I believe do. Since I have grown tired of watching you try and interact with the mundanes. You were a very awkward mundane.”  


Alec saw stars for a moment, and felt someone grab him so he didn’t fall. After a moment or two, he stood up and looked around.  


“I distinctly remember asking you and Clary to stay the Institute,” Alec said to Isabelle, “And what’s going on?”  


“ Nice to have you back big brother,” Izzy muttered with a smile.


End file.
